Some Chicago eateries I still lament...
#1. Bertram's Bakery - 1300 block of Loyola ave. Bert's was a little storefront bakery with coffee and without question the finest desserts I have ever tasted before or since. Their claim to fame was a 3 layer white chocolate mousse cake. They also had exquisite custard tarts (I especially miss the strawberry kiwi tart).
#2. Wigton's barn - 3300 block of N. Clark st. Used to go there for Sunday brunch. It was served family style, with everything from cook to order omlettes to terriyaki chicken wings.
Runners up...
Doctor Jazz ice cream - 1600 block of Montrose ave. (My first job was scooping at dr. jazz)
Villa Roma Pizzeria - 1600 block of Montrose Ave. New york pizza just like in manhattan. My first trip to new york, all the pizza reminded me of villa roma.
National Cafeteria - on Van Buren, and Hartleys Cafeteria - at the corner of Michigan and South Water. It's hard to rave about cafeteria food, but these two had it right. A continuous stream of good home style entrees, all the standard cafeteria food, and prices that made the spartan atmosphere seem appropriate. Both these places were IMHO much better than the much touted cafeteria at Marshal Fields on state st.

La Choza Mexican restaurant was on Paulina(? I think) just north of the Howard 'L' stop. This was my favorite Mexican restaurant until they closed in the early '80's. Great food, low prices, nice beer garden. All good things seem to come to an end.

Binyon's and Jimmy Wong's in the Loop. My grandfather used to work in one of those beautiful old buildings on Van Buren, the kind w/an elevator attendant. He then would take me to see Jimmy at Jimmy Wong's or to Binyon's for the turtle soup w/sherry.

Peacock Ice Cream Parlor in Skokie, an old time soda/ice cream store that my pop used to take me to now and then.

The Bakery
Antonio's -Wells St
Jasmine Thai - Skokie Blvd across from
Nordstrom Rack

The Bakery -- the Beef Wellington!
Chef Louis!

Gare St. Lazarre -- the pate! The ambiance!

Have wonderful memories of both!

Recently remembered a place called Diamond Jim's that my grandfather used to take me to. Great steaks. I seem to remember they had a huge 'challenge' meal. it was expensive, but the challenge was if you could finish it it was free.
Anyone remember this place?

If I recall correctly, Diamond Jim's was in downtown Chicago.

For some reason I correlate Diamond Jim's with The Flame.

I enjoyed going to downtown Chicago (befoe I was old enough to go by myself) and having lunch quite often in a Walgreen's cafeteria near State and Madison. (Remember when Walgreen's had restaurant's??) And also eating at Wimpy's.

And I remember and enjoyed Henry's at Skokie Blvd and Golf. This was a small local hamburger chain competing with and before McD became popular nationwide. A Henry's was also located near Riverview Park but didn't like it.

The lunch counter in the bargain basement at Fields on State Street - great Sloppy Joes!

The Bowl and Basket at Fields on 7 - Cheesy Chowder and a roast beef sandwich!

Lawrence of Oregano on Diversey - the best pollo parmagiana I've ever had.

Randalls Ribs!

Jonathan Livingston Seafood in Edgewater

Fritz! That's It! in Evanston

The Brewery on Broadway

Tango in the Belmont Hotel

The original Claim Company on Clark Street

Alferno's Pizza on Broadway - this was my first experience with deep dish pizza in Chicago in 1975 - wow!

I remember Wimpy's. Didn't they go out of business when king features withdrew the licensing agreement regarding the Wimpy character from the old Popeye cartoons? I beleive they refused to renew the agreement with the restaurant chain after the food quality went downhill.

Does anyone know if the Black Forest restaurant is still in existence? It was on Clark street, a few blocks south of Diversey. I ate my first prime rib there, ^ also my first Cobb salad, and my first anchovy!

Zum Deutschen Eck

Old college fave: Yesterday's in Evanston

Sorry to hear the Eck is gone. I used to live a few blocks from there.

Yeah, coupled with the loss of Han's Bavarian Lodge in Libertyville, we've lost (IMHO) our best German restaurant in ZDE and the best Oktoberfest in Han's. Very sad come the latter half of September

Also gone is the Golden Ox on Clybourn Ave. - with the lady playing the zither.

Doh! A good friend of mine was a bartender there in the "80s... Until the big cocaine scandal! The Ox survived a RICOH investigation, I wonder what finally brought it down?